Olympic Gold medal winner Kanu
arrived at Arsenal in 1999 already boasting an
impressive haul of accolades and trophies. By
the time he left North London five years later,
he had added two Premier League titles and
two FA Cup medals.
But it wasn’t always plain-sailing for the Nigerian
striker.
In 1996, after leading his nation to Olympic glory in
Atlanta, Kanu underwent a medical examination at
Inter Milan — he had moved to the Italian giants
from Dutch outfit Ajax Amsterdam with whom he
won the Champions League — and the result was
harrowing. It was revealed that the marksman was
suffering a serious heart defect, and in November
of that year Kanu had surgery to replace an aortic
valve.
Far from let the adversity get him down, Kanu used
his experience, and already escalating fame in
Africa, to set up the Kanu Heart Foundation, an
organisation that helps predominantly young
people on the continent.
His philanthropic work is just an example of his
human touch. Kanu’s touch was equally good on
the football pitch.
He joined the Gunners in the wake of Nicolas
Anelka’s departure to Real Madrid and, at first,
failed to woo the crowd with his languid
demeanour around the pitch. Soon, though, Kanu’s
attributes became apparent and the cheeky smile
he carried with him throughout won over the
Highbury faithful.
Kanu could operate both as a target man or as a
deep-sitting conductor of play. He had the ability to
bamboozle defenders in the blink of an eye, using
superb close control to wriggle out of tight spots.
He was often the scorer of great goals, too.
His delicious flick-of-the heel goal in a 6-1 rout
against Middlesbrough springs straight to mind, as
does the time in a North London derby when he
scooped the ball over a despairing Luke Young
before emphatically burying the ball beyond Ian
Walker.
However the moment Kanu will best be
remembered for was the mesmeric finale to a 17-
minute hat-trick at Stamford Bridge in 1999. Having
already notched twice to haul Arsenal level with
Chelsea, the Nigerian sealed victory with one of the
finest goals in the history of the Premier League.
He won possession by the left by-line and found
himself faced with, first, an out of position
goalkeeper, then two defenders and a narrowing
angle. Ed de Goey was slithered past with a subtle
shimmy before Kanu unleashed a curling effort
which arrowed into the far top corner.
The points were Arsenal’s and a place in the Club’s
history was Kanu’s.
This list of 50 Gunners Greatest Players was
determined by tens of thousands of Arsenal fans
from across the world. The vote took place on the
Club’s official website from May 5 to 19. To help
prevent multiple voting by a single person, only
registered members of Arsenal.com could take
part.


Source: www.arsenal.com/news/news-archive/gunners-greatest-players-13.-kanu

Our greatest export since teslim balogun

truly he is a legend

I was still a boy when I saw the exploit of nwankwo kanu against Chelsea. I watch it then on nta kaduna..
Wow the third goal was a beauty where he barbed that defender and curling the ball over the head of short babayaro..
He was famous for his Barbing skills..
That goal trigger something in me.. We talked about that goal today.. The last game that both team met this season, the commentator talked about kanu exploit. He holds the ball so neatly, dribble guys wittingly, wreck defence with his smouldering passes and fall cunningly to get free kick or penalties..
He was great in the colour of arsenal .

I know of two super subs in the history of the EPL..
Solskjear of Man utd and kanu of arsenal

Papilo created a record that one is yet to beat in nigeria